diff --git a/MULTITHREAD_README.md b/MULTITHREAD_README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5be263da0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/MULTITHREAD_README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# Multithreaded library scan / import (this fork)
+
+This branch adds a faster, **parallel** disk scan and import path. Upstream Lidarr does much of this work sequentially; this fork parallelizes folder scanning, tag reads, and release-candidate scoring.
+
+A **Dockerfile.multithread** in this repository builds a self-contained binary and overlays it on `ghcr.io/linuxserver/lidarr:nightly` (see CI or build from repo root per that file’s comments). A wrapper layout that keeps this tree in a `lidarr-src/` subdirectory can use the parent `Dockerfile` instead.
+
+## `LIDARR_MEDIA_IO_PARALLELISM`
+
+Parallel import work is **not** limited by Lidarr’s download bandwidth or rate settings (those apply to indexers/clients only). On **slow or remote storage** (especially NFS), too much concurrency can saturate IOPS and make the host feel stuck. This variable caps how many workers run at once for the fork’s parallel paths.
+
+| | |
+| --- | --- |
+| **Name** | `LIDARR_MEDIA_IO_PARALLELISM` |
+| **Default** | `2` (used when the variable is unset, empty, or not a valid integer) |
+| **Allowed** | Integers **1**–**64**; values below **1** fall back to the default |
+| **Scope** | Process environment (read once at first use) |
+
+It applies to:
+
+- parallel **folder scans** when collecting audio files;
+- parallel **tag / metadata reads** when building import decisions;
+- parallel **candidate release scoring** during identification.
+
+**Docker:** fully supported. Set the variable on the container like any other env; the .NET process reads the container environment.
+
+### Docker Compose
+
+```yaml
+services:
+  lidarr:
+    image: your-registry/lidarr-nightly-multithread:latest
+    environment:
+      - PUID=1000
+      - PGID=1000
+      - TZ=Etc/UTC
+      # Gentle on NFS / network mounts; omit for default (2)
+      - LIDARR_MEDIA_IO_PARALLELISM=1
+```
+
+### `docker run`
+
+```bash
+docker run -e LIDARR_MEDIA_IO_PARALLELISM=4 … your-image
+```
+
+### When to change it
+
+- **NFS, SMB, or sluggish disks:** try `1` or leave default `2`.
+- **Library and app on fast local storage (e.g. same NAS app dataset, local SSD):** try `4`–`8` or higher (up to 64) and watch CPU, I/O, and responsiveness.
+
+### Implementation reference
+
+Logic and constant name: `src/NzbDrone.Common/MediaImportParallelism.cs`.
+
+## Relationship to upstream
+
+Behavior outside scan/import parallelism matches your chosen base (e.g. nightly image + overlaid build). For upstream docs and support channels, see [Lidarr](https://github.com/Lidarr/Lidarr) and the [Servarr wiki](https://wiki.servarr.com/lidarr).
diff --git a/src/NzbDrone.Common/MediaImportParallelism.cs b/src/NzbDrone.Common/MediaImportParallelism.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1100b32c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/NzbDrone.Common/MediaImportParallelism.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+using System;
+
+namespace NzbDrone.Common
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Limits parallel disk work during library scan/import (tag reads, folder scans, candidate scoring).
+    /// Unrelated to download bandwidth limits in Lidarr settings.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static class MediaImportParallelism
+    {
+        public const string EnvironmentVariableName = "LIDARR_MEDIA_IO_PARALLELISM";
+
+        private const int DefaultMaxDegree = 2;
+        private const int MinDegree = 1;
+        private const int MaxDegreeCap = 64;
+
+        private static readonly Lazy<int> MaxDegreeLazy = new Lazy<int>(ReadMaxDegree);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Maximum concurrent workers for scan/import parallelism. Default 2; override with LIDARR_MEDIA_IO_PARALLELISM (1–64).
+        /// </summary>
+        public static int MaxDegreeOfParallelism => MaxDegreeLazy.Value;
+
+        private static int ReadMaxDegree()
+        {
+            var raw = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable(EnvironmentVariableName);
+            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(raw) || !int.TryParse(raw.Trim(), out var parsed))
+            {
+                return DefaultMaxDegree;
+            }
+
+            if (parsed < MinDegree)
+            {
+                return DefaultMaxDegree;
+            }
+
+            return Math.Min(parsed, MaxDegreeCap);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/DiskScanService.cs b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/DiskScanService.cs
index 3904b6a80..b1c0f5b71 100644
--- a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/DiskScanService.cs
+++ b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/DiskScanService.cs
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ public void Scan(List<string> folders = null, FilterFilesType filter = FilterFil
 
             var musicFilesStopwatch = Stopwatch.StartNew();
 
-            Parallel.ForEach(foldersToScan, folder =>
+            Parallel.ForEach(foldersToScan, new ParallelOptions { MaxDegreeOfParallelism = MediaImportParallelism.MaxDegreeOfParallelism }, folder =>
             {
                 _logger.ProgressInfo("Scanning {0}", folder);
 
diff --git a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/TrackImport/Identification/IdentificationService.cs b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/TrackImport/Identification/IdentificationService.cs
index 417eda90c..e752fad1a 100644
--- a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/TrackImport/Identification/IdentificationService.cs
+++ b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/TrackImport/Identification/IdentificationService.cs
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ private void GetBestRelease(LocalAlbumRelease localAlbumRelease, List<CandidateA
             _logger.Debug("Matching {0} track files against {1} candidates", localAlbumRelease.TrackCount, candidateReleases.Count);
             _logger.Trace("Processing files:\n{0}", string.Join("\n", localAlbumRelease.LocalTracks.Select(x => x.Path)));
 
-            var maxParallelism = Math.Max(1, Environment.ProcessorCount);
+            var maxParallelism = MediaImportParallelism.MaxDegreeOfParallelism;
             var scoredCandidates = candidateReleases
                 .Select((candidateRelease, index) => new { candidateRelease, index })
                 .AsParallel()
diff --git a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/TrackImport/ImportDecisionMaker.cs b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/TrackImport/ImportDecisionMaker.cs
index 5b55626b7..3b34824b3 100644
--- a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/TrackImport/ImportDecisionMaker.cs
+++ b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/TrackImport/ImportDecisionMaker.cs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using NLog;
+using NzbDrone.Common;
 using NzbDrone.Common.Extensions;
 using NzbDrone.Common.Instrumentation.Extensions;
 using NzbDrone.Core.DecisionEngine;
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ public Tuple<List<LocalTrack>, List<ImportDecision<LocalTrack>>> GetLocalTracks(
             var processedTracks = new ConcurrentBag<(int Index, LocalTrack Track)>();
             var processedDecisions = new ConcurrentBag<(int Index, ImportDecision<LocalTrack> Decision)>();
             var progress = 0;
-            var maxParallelism = Math.Max(1, Environment.ProcessorCount);
+            var maxParallelism = MediaImportParallelism.MaxDegreeOfParallelism;
             var filesWithIndex = files.Select((file, index) => new { file, index }).ToList();
 
             Parallel.ForEach(filesWithIndex, new ParallelOptions { MaxDegreeOfParallelism = maxParallelism }, item =>